New restaurants bring new excitement, hype to Tall City, Odessa

Tyler White | twhite@mrt.com

Published 3:07 pm, Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

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(File Photo) Participants walk past the drive-through window to collect a free lunch during the "First 100" event Wednesday, March 6 at the new Chick-Fil-A location at the intersection of Wall Street and Andrews Highway in Midland. The first 100 people in line when the doors open at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, will win a one-year supply of Chick-Fil-A meals. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram less

(File Photo) Participants walk past the drive-through window to collect a free lunch during the "First 100" event Wednesday, March 6 at the new Chick-Fil-A location at the intersection of Wall Street and ... more

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

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Work continues on Basin Burger House to get it ready for opening. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram

Work continues on Basin Burger House to get it ready for opening. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram

Photo: Tim Fischer

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(File Photo) Patrons sit in the bar area during the opening day lunch hour at Basin Burger House. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram

(File Photo) Patrons sit in the bar area during the opening day lunch hour at Basin Burger House. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram

Participants in the "First 100" event pitched their tents in the parking lot Wednesday, March 6 at the new Chick-Fil-A location at the intersection of Wall Street and Andrews Highway in Midland. The first 100 people in line when the doors open at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, will win a one-year supply of Chick-Fil-A meals. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram less

Participants in the "First 100" event pitched their tents in the parking lot Wednesday, March 6 at the new Chick-Fil-A location at the intersection of Wall Street and Andrews Highway in Midland. The first 100 ... more

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

New restaurants bring new excitement, hype to Tall City, Odessa

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Midlanders’ interest peaks with the opening of each new restaurant.

“How does the food taste? How long are the wait times? Is it worth the trip?”

New restaurants, such as Chick-fil-A and Basin Burger House in Midland and the Five Guys Hamburgers and Fries in Odessa, deal with this hype, which can make or break a store.

But Allan Patton, general manager of Midland’s Olive Garden and president of the Permian Basin Restaurant Association, said Midlanders desire the social experience of dining out more than anything.

Customers may see friends and family members at a restaurant, providing a sense of community, he said.

Patton said that with scarce entertainment options in Midland and Odessa, many people consider dining out a way of hitting the town.

“Eating and going out to movies is about the only thing to do,” he said.

Jason Shaffer, owner and operator of Midland’s newest Chick-fil-A, said Midlanders are excited they’ve had the same restaurants for several years. This excitement also extends into retail stores, he said.

Jerry Morales, board member of the PBRA and vice president of the Texas Restaurant Association, said the presence of big chains such as Panda Express and Five Guys brings a “smaller metro feel” to the community.

He said Midlanders and restaurants have a good business relationship. There’s been a 50 percent increase in foot traffic and a 15 percent to 30 percent increase in restaurant revenue across the Basin in 2012 in comparison to 2011, he said.

Midland’s 62 food and beverage outlets grossed more than $72 million in 2012’s second quarter, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ website. In 2011, more than $274 million in accommodation/food services revenue was generated in Midland. In 2003, that number was $139.4 million.

Odessa’s 96 outlets grossed more than $84 million in 2012’s second quarter

The National Restaurant Association projects Texas restaurants to register $40.8 billion in sales for 2013, with every $1 million generating an additional 26.3 jobs in the state.

Morales, who owns Gerardo’s Casita and Gerardo’s Bistro, said business is booming because Midland’s chain and mom and pop restaurants complement each other. Some people may go to one restaurant for enchiladas, but prefer the burritos at another restaurant.

Midland’s work culture also is a reason restaurants are popular.

Patton said many people do not want to cook after working long hours, so, they buy takeout or dine out for dinner.

Carlos Hernandez, vice president of operations for Rosa’s Cafe Tortilla Factory, said many patrons are finding dining out a cheaper and faster alternative to supermarket shopping.

Morales attributes this to a rise in grocery prices.

But postings on the Reporter-Telegram’s Facebook reflect a different sentiment.

Tiffany Evans Pearson reported it’s cheaper to shop for food and eat at home. Aidina Garza Ousley reported it’s less hassle to cook at home because Midland’s large population leads to long restaurant wait times. Kevin Elger said the service at many restaurants is so bad that it’s not worth going out.

Morales agreed that wait times have increased, and attributes this to all restaurants being understaffed. Customers may wait 30 minutes to an hour to be seated, which often takes out the fun of dining.

Patton said he struggles at times with understaffing and it took him more than six years to find his best employee team.

Hype, supply and demand

Patton said a restaurant’s reputation determines success, which can be measured by returning customers.

A restaurant’s service quality attracts returning customers, he said. Businesses like Chick-fil-A encourage return visits through exceptional customer service, he said. Patton said that relationship should be a business priority since it affects word-of-mouth advertisement.

“If you’re not having good service and good food, no one’s going to come to your place,” he said.

Hernandez said faster service is needed to keep up with a fast-paced workforce. He also said restaurants need more parking to meet customer demand.

Many new restaurants initially live up to the hype because out-of-town trainers assist during grand openings. Once trainers leave, the stores feel the same pressures of established restaurants, Morales said.

Shaffer said Chick-fil-A’s corporate office sent about 30 trainers to assist in the opening and has helped match customer expectations.

Five Guys, which opened Dec. 17 at 4101 E. 42nd St., has received numerous best hamburger awards and each store is expected to live up to that. Bill Osterman said he and his fiancé, Brenda Branch, co-owners of the Five Guys in Odessa, are up to the challenge.

Osterman said people like his restaurant’s approach to fresh food. The restaurant doesn’t have a freezer, so all ingredients are freshly prepared, he said. Employees slice potatoes throughout the day and all meat products are cooked fresh.

“They don’t put the hamburger down on the grill until you order it,” he said. “That’s why the burgers are so good.”

He said the chain’s reliance on word-of-mouth advertising has continuously attracted new and returning customers.

The chain’s advertising budget instead is used in a mystery shopper program. A customer evaluates his or her experience at the restaurant twice a week without the employees’ knowledge. The employees working during that evaluation receive bonus income if they receive positive results, he said. This in turn promotes employees to work harder to present quality service to customers, he said.

More chain restaurants are opening in Midland and Odessa, but some chains do not see the area as profitable, Hernandez said. The cities demographic variety is a “best-kept secret.”

For example, seafood is in demand. With Long John Silver’s and Red Lobster being the primary seafood options, people who move to the area from across the country are missing out on seafood variety, he said.

Hernandez also said West Texas restaurants’ spicy flavor palette continues to be in demand. Many area Mexican restaurants take pride in spicy food and many visitors crave it, he said.

“When you get all these people coming in from across the U.S., it makes you feel really good that they accept your flavor profile and what you have to give.”